Plier and wrench tool



April 6, 1954 1.. E. PETERSON 2,674,143

PLIER AND WRENCH TOOL Filed July 24, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

LOU/'5 15. 3922501? 2 654 0. M

flTTOR/VEY Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLIER AND WRENCH TOOL Louis E. Peterson, Seattle, Wash.

Application July 24, 1951, Serial No. 238,243

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a plier and wrench tool and an object of this invention is to provide a plier type tool which is well adapted for use a a wrench.

Another object is to provide a plier type tool constructed so that the application to the handle portions of the tool of a force tending to tighten the jaws of the tool on a nut will produce a binding or clamping action in the fulcrum of the tool tending to lock together the two parts of the tool so that the jaws will not spread apart when torque is applied to turn the nut.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plier type tool in which a fulcrum member of relatively large diameter is rigid with one jaw and handle part of the tool and pivotally supports a second jaw and handle part and in which a ring shaped portion of the second jaw and handle part fits over and extend around the fulcrum member and is split by a slot which is positioned so as to cause said ring shaped member to tighten upon and frictionally engage and grip the fulcrum member when the jaw parts of the tool are applied to a nut and a squeezing force is exerted on the two handle parts of the tool.

Another object is to provide a pliers type tool of this type in which two cooperating parts of a fulcrum member and a jaw and handle member which grip the same are serrated or notched to cause them to more firmly lock together when subjected to ressure.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, with a fulcrum member shown in section, of a plier type tool constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross section and partly in elevation taken substantially on broken line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the pivot structure or fulcrum means of the pliers.

Fig. 3 is a detached fragmentary view in elevation of one jaw and handle part of this tool.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views:

In the drawings 5 and 6 indicate the jaw memher and the handle member respectively of one part of a pliers type tool and I and 8 indicate the jaw member and the handle member respectively of another or second part of said tool.

A pivot member consisting of. a shank 9 and a fulcrum portion 10 of largerjdiameter than the shank 9 is rigidly secured t the jaw and handle part 5-6 of the tool. The shank 9 is preferably non-circular in cross sectional shape and is seated in a correspondingly shaped hole in the part 5-6 of the pliers. For instance, this shank 9 may have one flat side as indicated by 20 in Fig. 1 or it may be square in cross section or otherwise shaped to prevent it from rotating in the pliers part 5-6. A shoulder l l is provided at the junction of the shank 9 and fulcrum member I0 and a head 12 is provided on the end of the fulcrum portion Ill.

The jaw and handle part 'l8 has a cylindrical opening l3 therein which fits over and extends around the fulcrum member I 0. The ring shaped band of metal surrounding the opening I3 and which fits over the fulcrum member II] is split by providing therein a notch M which extends from the opening l3 to the outer wall of the said ring shaped metal band. This makes possible a limited amount of expansion and contraction of said ring shaped metal band so that it may be caused to grip or to release the fulcrum member Ill. The notch II is positioned relative to the fulcrum member In at a point opposite to the side of said fulcrum member against which pressure will be exerted by tool part 1-8 when a squeezing force is applied to the handles of the tool.

Thus the position of the notch I4 relative to the fulcrum member In is such that said notch will tend to close when the tool is applied to a nut and the handle member 8 is pressed toward the handle member 5. The metal band which extends around the fulcrum member I0 has a section l5 of maximum resilience positioned approximately diametricallyopposite to the notch M. A major portion of the flexing or spring action occurs in this section l5. Preferably this metal band or ring. part which extends around the fulcrum member I 0 has another notch l6 provided therein with it inner end registering with the opening I3 and its general longitudinal direction approximately parallel to the handle member 8. The notch I6 is positioned approximately tangent to the inner wall of the resilient part l5 and cooperates to form, in prolongation of the resilient metal part [5, a second resilient ably, but not essentially, has transverse serrations or teeth l8 formed therein and the opposed peripheral portion of the fulcrum member it has similar serration or teeth I 9 for cooperation with the teeth 18.

In the operation of this tool, when the jaws of the same are applied to an object such as a nut and a squeezing pressure is exerted on the handle parts 6 and 8, the portion l5 of the jaw and handle. member l3 will first flex and the smooth enrich-serrated ring like part thereof will tighten on and firmly grip the fulcrum member l0. After this clamping action has taken place further application of a squeezing force will tend to hex the resilient section I! and bring the serrated part l8 into firm engagement with the serrated part I9 thus substantially locking the two parts of the tool against 'relativeangular movement. The clamping or locking action initially produced by squeezing together the handle members 8 and 6 will be increased .by the application to said handle members of atorque force tending to turn the nut and the clamping or looking action 'will vary directly with the amount of torque force applied. This'clamping action in the fulcrum of the tool resists the tendency of the jaw'parts'to spread apart and greatly increases the utilityof the pliers for use as a wrench. Thus a person who is using this tool on a nut can exert suiiicient squeezing force to'bring the two serrated surfaces 18 and i9 firmly together and after this has been done can apply torque to the nut without substantially increasing his squeezing force on the handle membersand without danger of the jaws spreading apart .and' slipping on the nut. member 7!,8 is clamped on the fulcrum I!) the 'forces'tending to spread the jaw l away from When the plier the jaw 5 will be borne as a tension by the resilient parts l5 and I! and as these parts 15 and I! do not appreciably yield under tension there will not be any objectionable spreading movementof the jaw member i away from the jaw member 5. The provision, in this tool, of the fulcrum clamping or locking means makes the tool more eflicient thanordinary pliers for use as a wrench and'further makes it easier to useasit requires less strain on the hand and wrist of .the user.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of this inventionbut it will be understoodthat changes in .thistool may be made withinthe scope and spirit of the followingcla-ims.

I claim:

1. In a plier type tool, a one piece jaw and handlemember; .a fulcrum member. rigid with said jaw andhandle member and extending sidewise therefrom; andanotherjaw and. handle memberhaving a cylindrical opening. forming a ring shaped bearing portion'fitting over and pivotally mounted on said fulcrum member, said ringshaped bearing portion being split to 'provide'for expansionand contraction of the same, whereby said ring shaped bearing portion is adapted to grip said fulcrum member in response inside to outside thereof providing for expansion and contraction of said ring shaped bearing portion, said notch being positioned at one side of the general longitudinal axis of said jaw and handle member, whereby exertion of squeezing 'force on said two handle portions tightens said ringshaped bearing portion on said fulcrum member.

3. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 2 in which serrations are provided in the internal annular wall of said ring shaped bearing portion on the side thereof toward the handle part of the jaw and handle member and in which 00- operating serrations are provided in the opposed circumferential wall portion of said fulcrum member.

4. In a plier type tool, a one piece jaw and handle member; a fulcrum member of relatively large diameter rigid with said jaw and handle member and extending sidewise therefrom; and

another one piece jaw and handle member having a cylindrical opening forming a resilient ring shaped bearing portion which extends around and is pivotally mounted on said fulcrum memberand having a notch extending through the 'wall or" said ring shaped bearing portion; from inside to outside there-o; providing expansion and contraction of said ring shaped bearing portion, said notch being positioned atone side of the general longitudinal axis of said last mentioned jaw and handle member whereby maximum flexing of said ring shaped bearing portion will occur in a section of the same substantially diametrically opposite to said notch and said last mentioned jaw and handle member having a second notch in'said ring shaped'bearing portion extending from said circular opening toward 'the handle portion and substantially tangent to the inner wall of the part of said ring shaped bearing portion where maximum'flexing occurs,said second notch forming in said ring shapedbearing portion a second resilient portion of greater stiffness than saidfirst mentioned resilient portion, said ring shaped bearing portion having between said two notches a 'fulcrum engaging portion which presses against said fulcrum member by flexing of said resilient portions.

References Cited in theffile or this "pa-tent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,019,825 Mossberg Mar. 12, 1912 1,271,911 Kearney July 9, 1918 1,621,499 Enberg Mar. 22, 192'? 

